The Annoyance of Change
by SASSafrasEND
Summary: Not everyone is happy Sakura has changed. Sasuke has some choice words for her
1. Chapter 1

**-The Annoyance of Change-**

He watches the glass of lemonade in front of him with bored eyes. Not for the first time did Sasuke wonder where the hell she was and did she forget that she was suppose to be meeting him here?

As kids, Sakura had always prided herself on being the first to arrive earlier than everyone else when they attended school together, and then again when she arrived on time for genin practice. But now it seemed, as they got older, some things like tardiness just didn't matter anymore.

Sasuke sighed, glaring at his drink as the condensation rolled off it like his annoyance rolled off him in waves.

"What did it do to be on the receiving end of such a glare?" asked a voice from behind him. He turned as Sakura walked the last few steps to the empty seat across from him, and turned his glare on her. "Whoa. What did _I_ do?"

"You're late," he clipped out. Onyx eyes watched as she fell into the seat, smiling as she did so.

"So I'm ten minutes late. Big deal."

_There was a time you _would've_ made it a big deal._

"Besides," she went on, "I have a good reason." She paused for effect. Not that she needn't bother. Sasuke was scowling at his glass again and didn't even seem to be paying attention to her. It looked like he was lost in his own thoughts. "Aren't you going to ask me what it is?"

He frowned, finally meeting her eyes. "What _what_ is?

"My reason."

"Hn."

"Why, I'm so glad you asked, Sasuke," she feigned enthusiasm. "You see, I kept being stopped by guys asking me if I had any plans for today."

This got his attention. "Why?"

"Today is the fourteenth."

"They wanted to know the date?"

"Today is the fourteenth, Sasuke. As is February. As in _Valentine's Day_."

Oh. That made sense, he thought. The male population were at it again. Always trying to woo his teammate like senseless dolts. The young man could feel the ends of his lips pull down into a frown. "They're annoying," was all he said on the matter.

"You think everyone is annoying," she dismissed. "Even me."

"Am I wrong?" he smirked at her, daring her to deny it.

"I'd like to think I've changed."

There was that word again. Change. Sasuke fisted his hands in anger and muttered, "You haven't changed _that_ much."

"Are you kidding me?" Sakura laughed, part of her hair flying over her shoulder. "I have, _too_, changed a lot. And for the better. Can you remember when I used to follow you around like a lovestruck puppy? Always trying to declare my love for you? Always trying to get your attention?" She shook her head. "Pathetic. But _them_, now they haven't changed."

The man followed his teammate's pointer finger to a group of girls hiding behind a wooden fence. The word hiding used loosely as the girls giggled and squealed upon being noticed but made no attempt to come forth.

"Maybe you should go over and say hi," Sakura mocked. "You know, grace them with your presence."

"And maybe you should tell me why you asked me to come here in the first place," he mumbled.

She sighed. "Impatient as always, my dear Sasuke."

Her words caused something in his chest to tighten. It felt like all of a sudden his head was swimming and his ear were burning. He wondered if the surprise of her words registered at all on his face. But if it did, she didn't mention it as she continued, "I actually thought we could hangout today. Just us two. And why not? We work hard and we rarely get to see each other anymore except for rare times when we get assigned on the same mission."

"Who's fault is that? You've taken to dealing with more and more at the hospital, lately." Did that sound a bit...bitter?

"Because they _need_ me, you know that." Sakura grinned. "I'm the best they got."

He couldn't argue with her there. Aside from no longer being punctual, Sakura was also the finest medic the Village Hidden in the Leaves had ever had, even surpassing the Hokage herself.

It seemed the more Sasuke thought about it, _really_ thought about it, Sakura had changed from the once annoying fangirl she used to be, to the respected, admired, and powerful kunoichi that sat before him.

Somehow he didn't like that one bit.

"No." Maybe if he started saying it out loud, he would start believing it. "_No_," he repeated, more firmly this time.

The glass was halfway to her lips when Sasuke's words made her falter. "E-excuse me?"

"I said no. I can't hang out with you." _Not today, not tomorrow. _Never_._

To say she was surprised was an understatement. Had she just heard right? Sasuke really didn't want to hang out with her? "Umm... _Oookay_. Can I ask _why_?" Because this really didn't make any sense.

"I don't have time."

"Really. Because it seems to me that you don't really have much going on," she waved a hand to incorporate his relaxed posture and surroundings.

"I have a lot to-"

"Cut the bull, Sasuke. What's going on? Why are you acting like this?"

"Why don't you tell me why _you're_ acting like this?"

Okay. Now they were getting somewhere. "Tell me. How _have_ I been acting, Sasuke."

"Like all of a sudden you're not..._you_."

"...not me."

"You've changed," he whispered under his breath. So low but Sakura managed to hear him. And frown in confusion. "You're different."

"Yeah... I believe we've already established that at the beginning of this meeting. Look, if Naruto put you up to this I don't-"

"He didn't," he sighed.

Sakura's eyes grazed over her teammate. Something wasn't right. And she wanted to know what. "Sasuke-kun," she soothed, moving to stand by his side. At the movement, he flinched slightly. "_Tell_ me," she ordered lightly.

"You don't call me that anymore." Black eyes came up to meet hers. They were too close, noses almost bumping each other. "Say it again."

"...Sasuke-kun."

"_Again_."

"Sasuke-k-"

"I've missed you," he suddenly brought her in close, wrapping his arms tightly around her frame. There was a gasp somewhere but Sasuke wasn't sure if it was her, him, or the group of fangirls who had now moved out into the street to get a better view of the show.

"Where have I gone?" Although the question was rhetorical. Sakura had a feeling she knew what was going on now.

"When we were children...you would always be around." He chuckled. "You were annoying."

"I thought you said I still was," she said, but she was smiling. Her hands were running through his hair, then traveled down his back, only to comfort him with lazy circles. He sighed.

"You _are_." He paused long enough to lift his head from the warmth of her neck before amending, "But that's why I...I..." What? Like, love, admire? How did he really feel for her?

"Care," he finally settled on. "Don't ever change."

"You want me to be like them?" She pointed to the group of girls who were now openly sobbing. Some were even rolling on the ground in grief. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"...maybe not quite so-"

"_Annoying_?" she smirked.

He returned the gesture with one of his own and stood. Grabbing her hand, Sasuke decided it was time to get away from all the noise before the moment was ruined. The last thing he wanted was for Sakura to perform life-saving CPR. "Aa."

"Fair enough. But I can still call you Sasuke-kun, right?"

It was like she never changed at all. "Aa."

* * *

_Yes, Valentine's was a month ago -I just needed a good excuse to write this. No matter how late ;]_


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Here is the widely asked for second chapter to The Annoyance of Change. Sorry it took me a while to get this out there. I got sick again D:

And thank you to those who wished me a happy birthday!

_R&R_

**Summary:** This time, HE is the problem.

* * *

"So, how are things in paradise?" Ino rose her brows in a suggestive manner like the perverted best friend she was. "Hmm? _Hot_? Maybe _sweltering_ under the heat that is Sasuke Uchiha's body?"

"Knock it off, Ino," Sakura growled.

"How's the sex?"

_Ino sure knew how to get to the point_. All Sakura wanted was a hot shower, perhaps a strong drink, and to fall into clean sheets to sleep the rest of the day away. It seemed that wasn't the plan, after all, given the way Ino Yamanaka kept hounding Sakura since the start of their shift.

_Eighteen. hours. ago_.

"Is he gentle? Into foreplay?" Ino continued when she got no response. "Is he quiet? Probably not, right? Given that he's silent everywhere else, he's probably a screamer in the bedroom." She turned to the woman next to her. "_You're_ probably the quiet one."

"_Oookay_, you know what? Knew topic. _Go_."

"Mmm, nah. I really want to know about the sex between you two."

Sakura growled.

"You guys _are_ having sex, aren't you?"

"No, Ino. We just sit around in my apartment all day reading books and talking about them afterwards," she rolled her green eyes.

"...Really? Because that's sad, hun."

Sakura sighed. Fortunately for Ino, she knew what that sound meant. It meant Sakura was at her wits end and would do anything to make the madness stop, so long as it was quick and painless.

_Like pealing off a bandaid._

"...What do you want to know?"

_A sexy blonde, blue-eyed bandaid_. Ino grinned.

* * *

Two hours later, an exhausted Sakura was finally home, doing what she had originally planned.

As she soaked in the tub full of warm water and foamy suds, Ino's words couldn't help but form themselves in her head from their earlier conversation that day.

"Is this even normal?" Ino had asked once Sakura finished telling her blonde friend everything she wanted to know about Sasuke and Sakura's relationship as a couple. Sakura, for her part, hadn't been surprised in the slightest that the first question was about how many times they've had sex in the last four days since Sasuke told Sakura how he felt at their meeting.

Which was, in Ino's opinion, a lot more than she thought from Konoha's number one antisocial male.

"Sex is a normal enough affair between two consented adults who happen to find close contact arousing and pleasurable-"

"Shut up with the Sex ED, Sakura. This ain't school and I work at the hospital, too, you know." Ino frowned. "What I _meant_ was, Sasuke doesn't seem like the kind of guy to... Dive in without testing the waters, if you catch my meaning."

"...You think he should have gotten me _tested_ before having sex with me?"

Ino blinked. "No, you dummy! I meant he's not the kind of guy to actively seek out human contact, not even in battle. So why now, you must be wondering? It's because of the sex."

"...Huh?"

"He is a man, I suppose," Ino reasoned, more to herself than the man's partner. "And men like sex as much as the next guy."

Sakura cocked her head to the side, the water nearly sloshing over the rim of the tub due to the movement. Had Ino been right about that. Was Sasuke only in it for the sex?

_He _has_ been more forthcoming in his advances for contact_, Sakura admitted to herself. _But sex isn't the only thing we do together. We eat! We talk! Although, those two things go without physical contact._

She nibbled on her bottom lip, trying to think of an activity that didn't involve panting and wet, slicked skin as the only human contact in Sasuke's favor.

_Oh, I know! We spar. And...we, uh..._

"Shoot," Sakura cursed aloud. "Maybe Ino _was_ right. Maybe he's only in it for the hanky panky. Well, if that's the case, I'm not going to let him control me like that; he's got another thing coming!" She stood up suddenly, uncaring of the mess she had to clean up.

Her first was curled tight in determination as she waved it in front of her. "I'll show him. I'm no one's sex slave!" and with that, dramatically exited the bathroom, only to stop short on leaving her house all together. "Right after I put some clothes on..."

* * *

Sasuke was bone tired by the time he left the Hokage's office, handing over his mission's report, and heading home. His whole body ached, muscles struggling to keep his legs moving and not give out on him.

Naruto had sent him to a village near Hot Springs to help out with their crime situation. Didn't sound so hard at first. But when he got there, it was nothing but chasing bad guys down alleyways, sewers, then interrogating them for long hours in a small room and an uncomfortable chair.

His back hurt, his legs were sore and his brain felt like any more information would leave Sasuke paralyzed on a hospital bed.

Speaking of...

_I wonder if Sakura's working tonight. I could really use some of her healing abilities right about now._

With a sigh, he turned on his heel to double back to the one person who would surely welcome him back with open arms.

* * *

Or, perhaps _not_.

"First it was the sex and now you want me to _heal_ you?! What do I look like? Your personal genie in a damn bottle? Go find someone else to mooch off you... you... _moocher_!"

* * *

What had happened in the one day he was gone? Sasuke wondered as he stared at the door that was just slammed in his face. He didn't remember pissing Sakura off before leaving for his mission. In fact it was quite the opposite.

He smirked fondly.

But now she wouldn't even so much as look at him. And she had called him a moocher. What was up with that?

Deciding he wasn't going to be getting answers on the other side of the door, Sasuke did the only thing he could think of.

And kicked down the door.

The poor object hung on only one hinge at the bottom and banged on the opposite wall with a bang as it swung pitifully back.

Needless to say, Sakura was not amused.

"What are you doing? Are you _crazy_?!"

"Are _you_?" Sasuke rose a brow. "What did I do to make you so angry at me?"

"Get out. I told I didn't want to see you." Sakura eyed her door disapprovingly. "And you owe me a new door!"

"Forget about the door. Tell me why-"

"It's because you're different!"

There was a pregnant pause before one of them decided to move things along. It was, surprisingly, Sakura. She settled down on the floor, shoulders sagging in defeat. "You've changed, Sasuke-kun. You've changed and I didn't even notice. I had to be _told_ what was going on before I finally caught on on my own." She blew out strands of her hair. "Some analytical genius _I_ am," Sakura mumbled.

Sasuke's mind processed all the information she had given him. Not as easy a task given that he was still reeling from completing his mission not even 12 hours ago. But he tried his best. His girlfriend was obviously distraught and it killed him to see her so worn out and upset. Sasuke was also sure he knew what she was talking about but decided on asking, "How? How am different?"

"You smile more. Talk more." With a degree of difficulty, Sakura managed to lift her head up to look him straight in the eye. She didn't flinch as she said, "You practically track me down just so we can have sex-"

"I've never heard you complain before. In fact, it's the opposite-"

"You seek physical contact," she continued as if he had never interrupted, "and I have to stop and think, are you changing because you _have too_ to please me? Or to try to win me over? Or-"

That's it. He'd heard enough. "Sakura, shut up. It's none of those things." Was she really that blind? She couldn't figure it out on her own? Was she going to make him say it out loud? Like, with actual _words_? Sasuke could already feel the tips of his ears burning. "Isn't it obvious already?" he asked weakly, sort of as a last resort.

"If it was _obvious_, don't you think breaking my door down was a bit of overkill?"

She had him there. "Fine. I go looking for you because...because..." God. Sasuke couldn't believe he was saying it. "Because I...like being around you..." Did an enemy unnoticingly set him on fire, or was it just him?

Another pause. This time, however, was longer and way more awkward.

Finally Sasuke gave up battling his straining leg muscles and sat next to her. Taking her hand in his, he said, "You know I'm not good at this sort of thing," he mumbled. "The only thing I can tell you is the truth. And the truth is that you changed my life. You make me better. You make me want to _be_ better. That's why I've changed. Not because of you. But _for_ you." Sasuke's onyx eyes stole a peek at the woman at his side, who had yet to say anything in the past three minutes. "Say something. _Please_."

Pink hair flew to the sides as she shook her head, as if coming out of a daze, and turned a watery smile towards him. He didn't dare return it in case she laughed in his face. "Would it be highly inappropriate if I told you I like you even more now than I did before?"

Sasuke let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding in.

"I'm happy you told me. I thought that all this time..." She shook her head again. "You know what? Never mind. What's done is done. Now I know how you felt when you confronted me about how much _I_ had changed. I'm glad you decided to say something, Sasuke-kun," and kissed his cheek.

He was, too. Because, as much as Sasuke was enjoying the feel of Sakura's soft, hot lips on his skin, and enjoying the way her hand was slowly roving over the top button of his pants, there were more pressing matters to attend to. "...Could you do something about my pain now? I don't think I can get back up."

"Who says I want you to?" she nibbled his lobe. "In fact, I like this new defenseless Sasuke. Much easier to take advantage of."

"I thought you didn't want me to change," he groaned. Sakura was straddling his waist and rocking slightly, making it hard to get the words out.

"Not all change is bad, _right_?"

Staring at her smiling face briefly before pulling her down so that their lips connected, Sasuke smirked against them. "Not all change is bad," he agreed.


End file.
